Abstract

CASTRO DEL CAMPO, Nohelia; CHAIDEZ QUIROZ, Cristóbal; RUBIO CARRASCO, Werner  and  BENIGNO VALDEZ TORRES, José. Survival of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in minimally processed fruits. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2004, vol.30, n.1, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3127.

The survival of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in tomato, cucumber, mango and melon fruits at 25° and 4 °C was determined. Fruits were aseptically cut in 2 cm portions and innoculated with purified suspensions of each bacterial pathogen. Survival analyses were carried out for five days. It was observed that S. aureus survive longer in minimally processed fruits because higher concentration than the innoculated one was obtained at the end of the study whereas E. coli is not inhibited by the storage temperature. It was concluded that cautions must be taken to prevent salads or minimally processed products from being contaminated while they are prepared at home or restaurants since once these foodstuffs are contaminated, freezing temperature do not have any effect on the development and survival of these pathogens

Keywords : ESCHERICHIA COLI [growth & development]; STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS [growth & development]; FRUITS [toxicity]; VEGETABLES [toxicity]; FOOD CONTAMINATION.